Chapter 26 – Déjà vu!
"Professor, are you sure we should look into this?" Rhythmi asked reluctantly as she looked back at Professor Hastings and Chairperson Erma. They, along with Linda and Marcus, were all in the Operations Room. "I mean, nothing's happening, but…what do you think?"
"Perhaps Alexa can look into it," Hastings nodded. Rhythmi looked towards Hastings in confusion.
"Are you sure we can't ask an Area Ranger to check it out?" she asked. "And why Alexa? Call me crazy, but are you sure it's wise to leave her out of the hunt for Kincaid?"
"Yes. Yes I am sure," Hastings nodded with a sigh. "It was foolish to allow her to chase after young Kyle and his captors after her own captivity."
"With all due respect, Professor, you have been sending her on nothing but patrols ever since she and Ryder rescued Kyle!" Rhythmi complained. "I feel bad that she's being left out of the Union's main mission."
"Not to worry, dear, I'm certain everything will be fine," Erma smiled. "Now, about this problem we're facing at this moment…"
"As I said, I'll ask Alexa to check it out," Hastings confirmed.
"Ask me to check out what?" Alexa asked with a small laugh. Hastings, Erma and Rhythmi looked towards the escalator, and found Keith, Alexa, Buizel, Ryder and Kyle approaching them. Keith had his right arm around Alexa's waist. Hastings smiled.
"Ah, just the person I wanted to see," he chuckled. "We have a problem – or, rather, a mild inconvenience – at the top of Altru Tower."
Inconvenience? It's not the Luminous Crystal, I hope, Ryder teased.
"No, no, that's the last thing that would be described as an inconvenience. The inconvenience lies within a loiterer," Hastings stated.
"A loiterer? So someone's just hanging around the Luminous Crystal for no reason?" Keith questioned.
"Precisely," Hastings confirmed. "Alexa, I want you to look into this inconvenience."
I have a small problem with that; we've been doing nothing but patrol all week! Ryder complained. And now you want us to kick someone off of Altru Tower because they've been there too long?!
"Crude, Ryder, but it could be worse," Alexa sniggered. She looked towards Hastings. "Sure, I can look into it."
"I'm glad," Hastings smiled. "I am asking you because I know you will be polite; I do not wish for the loiterer to feel antagonised in any way."
"Gotcha," Alexa nodded. She looked towards Ryder. "So, Ryder, fancy seeing the Luminous Crystal?"
Wait, what?! Why're you looking at me?! Ryder asked in shock. Isn't it Kyle's turn or something?!
"No, Kyle went out yesterday," Alexa laughed.
Oh, right, Ryder laughed sheepishly. Oh, come on then, let's get this over and done with, he sighed. Alexa squinted up at Keith.
"Um…you'll need to let me go first," she laughed. Keith laughed nervously as he carefully removed his arm from her waist.
"Sorry. Just…be careful, okay?"
Dude…we're just going to Altru Tower, Ryder sighed. We're not exactly going through Operation Brighton again.
"You know why I'm concerned," Keith sighed. "Just look after her like you usually do. Please?"
Oh, right, like I did when-
"Stop! Ryder. Just stop," Alexa snapped abruptly. She smiled towards Keith. "I'll be fine. Besides, you know I'll let you know if I need help." Keith smiled.
"Okay," he nodded. "Take it easy."
"I will," Alexa nodded. Ryder ran past her and headed down the escalator. Alexa started to follow him. Keith gently grabbed Alexa's right hand with his left, pulled her towards him and planted a soft kiss on her lips as soon as she faced him. Keith smiled sweetly towards her as he released the kiss. Alexa laughed.
"You sneak!" Keith laughed as he watched Alexa running after Ryder.
"Oh-ho, I knew you two would get along," Erma chuckled.
"Though I would never have imagined that you would win her heart," Hastings laughed. Keith looked towards them, looking deeply embarrassed. Buizel and Kyle chuckled amongst themselves.
Meanwhile…
Alexa and Ryder jumped off of a Staraptor's back and landed on the roof of the Altru Building, on their feet.
Listen, Alex, why don't we just land on top of the tower? Ryder questioned. Wouldn't that make more sense than landing here and walking up the tower?
"I'unno," Alexa shrugged. "Let's just do this anyway," she said as she entered the tower. Ryder followed her without further question.
Alexa and Ryder walked through the tower. As they walked, they saw the three coloured rooms they had to enter during Operation Brighton. All three corridors were deserted. They eventually made their way to the final set of stairs before the tower roof. They stopped and looked around.
Hey, that control panel's dead, Ryder said as he looked towards a small cubical. Alexa looked towards the cubical and noticed the shut off control panel.
"I guess it doesn't have anything to control anymore," Alexa mused. "But I think we should focus on the task at hand and find that loiterer."
Good idea; I've had a nasty sense of déjà vu all the way up this tower, Ryder growled. He followed Alexa towards and up the staircase.
Outside…
Alexa and Ryder arrived at the top of the Altru Tower and beheld the magnificent sight of the large Luminous Crystal. The Red, Blue and Yellow Gems hovered around the Luminous Crystal in a triangle formation. Alexa and Ryder smiled at the beauty of the sight before they spotted a tired-looking elderly man with two Drowzee on either side of him.
This is our loiterer? Some guy with two strange looking Pokémon? Ryder questioned.
"Yeah, apparently so," Alexa sighed. She and Ryder approached the man and the Drowzee cautiously. The man faced Alexa sleepily; though he looked sleepy, he smiled.
"…Ah, but I am not asleep…they call me the Drowsy Guy," the man said quietly.
"The Drowsy Guy?" Alexa questioned.
"And you? You are you, if I am not mistaken," the Drowsy Guy smiled.
Um…we're all who we are, Ryder sighed. Look, Mac, can you be a little more precise about who you are? And more to the point, why you're looking half asleep right up here?
"Hmm…for someone so special, I can let you experience again a memorable capture," the Drowsy Guy smiled.
"Memorable capture?" Alexa questioned again. "I'm sorry, but who are you?"
Alex, I don't like the look of this guy; he's kind of creepy, Ryder said quietly as he subtly stood in front of Alexa.
"Where you're going, a certain man awaits you with a Pokémon of darkness," the Drowsy Guy said. "But you will not be able to return for a while. Go with caution, young lady."
"Wait, what?!" Alexa gasped.
Hold on a minute, we didn't want to- Ryder began hastily.
"Deja, deja, deja, deja, deja…" The Drowsy Guy waved his hands in a circle as his hands shone in a faint white aura. He clapped his hands together, held his arms up in the air and held out his palms in front of him. "VU!"
"Drowzee…!" The two Drowzee held out their palms in front of them as their palms shone in a similar white aura. The Drowsy Guy kept circling his arms around.
"Wh-what're you doing?!" Alexa asked fearfully.
FLASH!
"Aagh!" Alexa and Ryder yelled in pain as they collapsed onto their knees. Alexa, oddly, had bandages around her forehead and around her right arm, as well as a bloodied cloth tied around her right knee, and had various bruises all over her. Ryder, meanwhile, had bandages around his forehead, his tail and his chest, just below his chest spike. The atmosphere around them was shrouded with darkness.
Wh-what just…?! Why am I in such pain?! Ryder winced.
"Wh-where are we…?!" Alexa asked breathlessly.
RING-RING-RING-RING!
Alexa and Ryder looked towards Alexa's styler in confusion as they answered the incoming voicemail.
"Alexa, is that you? Hastings here! The Incredible Machine's power has hit Level 3!" Hastings exclaimed.
"The Incredible Machine?!" Alexa cried.
Level 3?! Ryder exclaimed.
"As a result, the Pokémon all over Almia are in the worst states imaginable. However, all is not lost! Thanks to your heroics, Alexa, the Blue, Red and Yellow Gems are in our hands! All that remains to be done is to take the three gems to the Shadow Crystal! You must awaken the light sealed within its darkness!"
Alex…wh-what just happened to us? Ryder asked worriedly as he looked towards Alexa. Alexa faced Ryder, looking equally as worried.
"I-I don't know!" she whimpered.
"Hm? An enormous power of some sorts appears to be in motion there," Hastings continued. "Perhaps something is trying to reach that location. Be alert and extra cautious! And…be sure to return alive!"
"R-return alive?!" Alexa gulped.
A-Alex…I think I've figured this out, Ryder said worriedly. S-somehow…that Drowsy Guy…he's…making us go through Operation Brighton again.
"What?!" Alexa gasped in horror.
"A Pokémon who stores the power of darkness in its own body. That is Darkrai, my most beloved of Pokémon," Blake Hall's sinister voice caught Alexa and Ryder's attention. They stood up and confronted Blake, who stood before them with Heath and Wheeler at his side.
"Blake Hall?!" Alexa gasped. A dark portal revealed itself in front of Blake and expanded, nearly covering the entire area. Alexa and Ryder winced as they saw the hypnotised Darkrai revealed itself from the darkness.
"Alexa! If you are not willing to give yourself up to me, then you are meaningless to me!" Blake shouted.
"Blake, why were you so interested in me?!" Alexa cried.
"Weren't you listening to me before? I said once I've established the Incredible Machine's full power, I'd claim you as my souvenir," Blake sighed.
What were you drinking when you came up with such a perverted idea?! Ryder snarled.
"But now you are meaningless to me, Alexa! Darkrai, invite this hero-fixated child into your world of darkness!" Blake commanded. Ryder and Alexa stepped back in fear as Darkrai hovered towards them. Darkrai opened a dark void underneath them and began to pull them into it. They flailed as they tried to resist the force pulling them towards the void. "Alexa! Go into the world of darkness!"
Wheeler laughed happily, yet quietly. Ryder and Alexa were in the centre of the void and were being slowly pulled into its depths.
Why did we have to let that Drowsy Guy do this to us?! Ryder panicked.
"I don't know! But suddenly I feel like I've let everyone down!" Alexa cried. She closed her eyes tightly, which released her tears of fright. "KEITH!"
"ALEX!"
"STARRRR!" A Staraptor quickly flew over Alexa and Ryder, pulling them out of the void moments before the duo was lost to the darkness. The void disappeared soon after. Alexa and Ryder landed on the ground safely as the Staraptor hovered down to their level. Alexa and Ryder smiled joyfully as they saw the Staraptor's rider.
"Keith! You're alive!" Alexa cried happily.
And Buizel! Thank Arceus you're safe too! Ryder exclaimed with relief.
"Bui!" Buizel nodded.
"You bet we are!" Keith smiled. "Magmortar's attack knocked us all the way to the Lookout Ridge! But we can talk about that later! Alex, let me have the Yellow Gem!"
Excuse me, I've been carrying it, Ryder laughed as he approached Keith with the Yellow Gem in hand. Keith held onto the Yellow Gem and smiled towards Alexa as she approached him.
"I can tell you suffered some more, Alex, but I'm here if you need me," he said kindly. "I'll join Sven and Wendy now. Alex, let's be safe, both of us!"
"Because…we're both as important as each other in this operation, right?" Alexa questioned tearfully. In spite of his warm smile, tears developed in Keith's eyes.
"Exactly!" he agreed. Alexa and Ryder watched with relief as Staraptor flew up into the sky.
"Ryder, how exactly did you end up with the Yellow Gem?" Alexa asked quietly.
Same way I ended up with it the first time, I guess, Ryder shrugged.
"Blasted Rangers," Blake snarled. "You leave me with no choice. The Incredible Machine has a hidden level beyond level 3. The forbidden level, Level Dark!"
"What?!" Alexa and Ryder cried in horror. They, Heath and Wheeler watched in horror as the Incredible Machine underwent the dramatic change. Darkrai cried out in agony, with its hands placed on either side of its head, suffering as a result of the change. The Incredible Machine's power came dangerously close to overloading because of the extra and forbidden power. Blake stood in front of Darkrai and smirked before Alexa and Ryder.
"This is it! Level Dark! The forbidden level of power known only by the infinity that is darkness itself!" he declared. "Now, my Darkrai, your age has come! But first you must do something. Swat down the annoying pests flying overhead!"
"Don't you dare hurt Keith!" Alexa cried furiously. Darkrai created a small void underneath it.
"Whaa!" Wheeler cried as he was dragged into the void. Heath, Blake, Alexa and Ryder watched in horror as the void swallowed Wheeler. "M-Mr President! Help me!" he pleaded. The void swallowed him whole and disappeared.
SMASH!
The crimson crystal ball behind Darkrai shattered into pieces.
"Th-the ball!" Alexa gasped.
Okay, what was that thing for again? Ryder questioned in bewilderment. Alexa looked towards him.
"It's how he was able to summon Dusknoir here from the Hippowdon Temple, remember?" She looked towards Blake angrily. "Blake! Don't you realise what you have just done?! The Incredible Machine has so much power now, you've lost control over Darkrai entirely! Its not following your commands anymore, it's too corrupted!"
"No more! I no want this anymore! I going home to the country!" Heath panicked, fleeing from the tower. Ryder looked back at the fleeing Heath.
Find a shirt while you're there! Ryder shouted insultingly.
"Lost control over Darkrai?! That is ridiculous, Alexa!" Blake scolded. "Darkrai is mine to command!"
"Then just look behind you!" Alexa screamed. Blake looked behind him in confusion; he found a dark void behind him, which started pulling him in.
"Darkrai!? What is the meaning of this!? The Ranger is over there!" Blake cried. "Alexa!" he yelled as the darkness of the void fully enveloped him. Alexa and Ryder stared at the corrupted Darkrai, frozen with a mutual fear.
In the Sky…
"Darkness! It's spreading all over the tower!" Sven exclaimed.
"I can't see the Shadow Crystal anymore! Darkrai, Alexa, Ryder and everyone else is in that darkness!" Wendy said worriedly.
"Alex! Can you hear me?!" Keith called at the top of his voice, worriedly. "What's happening down there?!"
At the tower roof…
Alexa and Ryder fearfully stared at the idle corrupted Darkrai. Neither Alexa nor Ryder moved an inch, not even blinking.
"Ryder…we're on our own for this…" Alexa said fearfully. "J-just like before…"
I don't want to be here anymore! Ryder cried. Why do we have to go through this again?!
"I-I don't know, b-but w-we may as well g-get it over with!" Alexa whimpered. "Capture on!" She desperately fired her capture disc at the Darkrai. In spite of how accurate her control was, Darkrai was unaffected. Darkrai formed a large ball of light blue energy in between its hands before firing it at Alexa and Ryder.
CRASH!
"WHAAAAAAAAA!" Alexa and Ryder cried out in agony as the large sphere of energy collided with their weakened bodies, worsening their current injuries in addition to creating entirely new ones. They crashed into the ground and lay limp.
The agonised cries echoed to the skies above, as Sven, Wendy and Keith all looked towards the darkness-veiled tower in devastation and horror.
"Alex, no!" Keith cried.
"Bui!" Buizel exclaimed in horror.
"What the hell just happened?! Did…did Darkrai attack them?!" Sven asked in terror.
"It must have done! Alexa and Ryder both cried out in pain!" Wendy panicked. "But what did Darkrai do?!"
"I'm not sure if Alex could survive that, she's too badly hurt!" Keith cried. "I'm not sure how much longer she can cope! We should help her!"
On the tower roof…
Alexa and Ryder groaned as they began to stir. They struggled to move, let alone attempt to stand back up.
I…I didn't need to…experience that…again… Ryder growled. J-just like before…D-Darkrai…isn't affected…
"But…w-we can't just…give up…" Alexa strained to her feet and looked up at the dark sky with tears falling from her eyes. She lowered her head. "We can't…" She closed her eyes, which released more tears, as she took the deepest breath she could take.
"WE WON'T GIVE UP, GUYS!" she cried nobly as she raised her head up towards the dark clouds overhead.
Alexa's noble words pierced through the darkness as Sven and Wendy smiled happily as they heard her voice. Keith smiled warmly as his withheld tears finally escaped his eyes.
"Alex! She's alive!" he cried.
"And Ryder too, from the sound of things!" Wendy added happily.
"She's one tough cookie," Sven sighed with relief. The Blue Gem suddenly shone. "Whoa!"
"This light…it's the same as the pendants," Wendy observed as the Red Gem glowed.
"It's as though…they're searching for something," Keith added as the Yellow Gem glimmered. The beams of light circled around Keith, Sven and Wendy before finally descending into the darkness below.
"Huh?" Alexa and Ryder looked up at the sky in shock as they spotted the three coloured lights descending towards Alexa's styler. They circled around her before they were absorbed into the styler. Her capture disc shone brightly with the three coloured lights as her styler mysteriously regained its full energy.
Alex, your styler!
"It's…just like last time…"
They're lending us their power.
"We can win this now!"
By the way…is it ever explained how the three shards got into your styler?
"I don't even care at this point!" Alexa and Ryder staggered towards the enraged Darkrai.
"Capture on!" Alexa fired her powered up capture disc at the Darkrai. Ryder, summoning up what energy he has left, surrounded himself with his bodily aura and fired a powered up Aura Sphere at the capture disc. Ryder's Pokémon Assist ability, combined with the power from the Coloured Gems, quadrupled the capture disc's power. Ryder stepped in front of Alexa and held onto her right arm,
Alex, the sooner we get this over and done with, the sooner I can ask that Drowsy Guy why he did this to us! Ryder smiled. Let's do this together!
"Right! We got into this mess together, we can get out of it together!" Alexa smiled in agreement.
With each other's help, Alexa and Ryder both controlled the capture disc together. Teamwork and trust in each other's judgement were the only factors preventing the capture disc from taking any damage. As soon as the Pokémon Assist ability faded, Ryder instantly fired another Aura Sphere at the capture disc, which started up the ability again. With their combined effort, Darkrai had become successfully befriended.
Alexa and Ryder collapsed onto their knees out of exhaustion, having used up more energy than they had. They smiled towards the Shadow Crystal as they saw Sven, Wendy and Keith, on their Staraptors, circling it with the Blue, Red and Yellow Gems in their respective hands.
"Ryder…we did it…" Alexa panted.
Again, Ryder laughed breathlessly. He and Alexa watched the Shadow Crystal losing its darkness as it transformed into a transparent crystal. As the darkness faded, the crystal became brighter.
FLASH!
"Huh? What?" Alexa and Ryder looked around in confusion; they found themselves standing up properly, with no injuries.
"How did you enjoy the most memorable of captures?" the Drowsy Guy asked curiously. Alexa and Ryder faced him in shock.
"Wh-what the hell was that?!" Alexa asked in utter bewilderment. "What did you do?!"
"If you wish to relive that memory, do come see me again." The Drowsy Guy lowered his head and snored.
Hey, old guy, don't fall asleep on us! What did you do!? Ryder growled angrily.
"Forget it, Ryder, I don't think he's answering," Alexa sighed. Ryder sighed as he looked up at Alexa.
Well, what are we supposed to say to Professor Hastings about this guy? He asked. We can't say he's some déjà vu voodoo man who made us go through Operation Brighton again!
"So we don't," Alexa shrugged. "Trust me, I know what to say."
Trust you? Don't I always? Ryder smirked as he and Alexa turned away from the Drowsy Guy and walked towards the stairway, hand in paw.
At the Union…
Alexa and Ryder walked away from the escalator and approached Professor Hastings and Chairperson Erma in the Operations Room.
"Ah, Alexa! You took longer than we expected, was everything all right?" Erma asked with concern.
"No, we're fine," Alexa smiled. "The loiterer's just a harmless gentleman who frequently visits the Luminous Crystal. The only exception was when Kincaid tried to turn it back into the Shadow Crystal."
"Ah, a frequent visitor of the Luminous Crystal, eh? Is that all? That's good to hear," Hastings smiled. "Hm? Is something the matter?" He asked with concern.
"Hm?" Alexa looked towards Hastings in confusion; she had lost her smile. Ryder looked up at her worriedly. Erma also noticed Alexa's lack of smile, and, too, became concerned.
"You look troubled. Is something on your mind, dear?" Erma asked earnestly. Alexa sighed as she turned anxious.
"Any news on Kincaid?" she asked reluctantly. Erma and Hastings appeared confused.
"What brought this up?" Erma asked curiously.
"Déjà vu," Alexa answered quietly. "When we saw the Luminous Crystal, I was reminded of when Keith and I confronted Kincaid there."
"Ah, I believe I understand your concern. But, sadly, no, there has been no news on Kincaid's whereabouts," Hastings sighed. "However, we will eventually catch him. You have my word."
"Oh, that reminds me, dear, Keith is waiting for you by the Tree of Harmony," Erma smiled optimistically.
"Yeah? What does he want?" Alexa asked in confusion.
I dunno, but I'm going to leave you alone, Ryder chuckled. I think it's going to be another one of those moments.
"Gee, thanks for your contribution, Ryder," Alexa said sarcastically as she watched Ryder running off. She sighed as she made her way to the escalator ahead of her, on the opposite side of the room.
Outside…
Alexa walked away from the escalator and looked around the union roof. The pedestals that the Red and Blue Gems were originally placed on were removed, leaving the roof bear with the exception of the Tree of Harmony. Alexa looked around in confusion.
"Keith? You up here?" she asked in puzzlement. She looked up as she heard rustling from the tree. She yelped and stepped back as she saw Keith hanging in front of her. He smiled towards her.
"Hey!"
"Keith? What're you doing in the tree? Aren't your knees hurt still?" Alexa asked in shock. Keith looked up before he faced Alexa.
"Nah, they're fine, don't worry," he said reassuringly. "How did your loiterer encounter go?"
"Um…fine, I guess," Alexa said nervously.
"You guess? What happened?" Keith asked with concern. He hoisted himself up to the branch he hung from, sat on the branch and jumped down from the tree. Alexa sighed.
"I just had a sense of déjà vu while Ryder and I were there," she replied. "About Operation Brighton, mostly."
"Yeah? Were you okay going back there?" Keith asked softly.
"Yeah, we were okay," Alexa smiled. "But it made me think about Kincaid. And…his escape."
"Hey, don't worry, we'll catch him," Keith said reassuringly as he gently stroked Alexa's hair. "But you do know why I asked Professor Hastings to leave you out of the hunt, right?"
"I know, and I trust you," Alexa smiled. "And the only way I'll be confronting him again is if he finds me."
"Good girl," Keith smiled. He gently pulled Alexa towards him and held onto her in a gentle cuddle, with his right hand on the back of her head. Alexa happily nestled in Keith's cuddle.
"Thanks for looking out for me, Keith," Alexa said modestly as she blushed.
"No problem," Keith smiled.
To be continued…